Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. NSU

Should I go to Penn State Erie Behrend College or Norfolk State University? Compare 50+ facts and figures about the colleges to help you determine if Penn State Erie-Behrend College or NSU is the better college for you. The CollegeSimply comparison tool allows side-by-side comparison of 50+ statistics and facts for over 2,500 colleges and universities.

Add a college to compare up to four schools
Penn State Erie Behrend College vs. Norfolk State University comparison
Penn State Erie Behrend College Norfolk State University College 3 College 4
Penn State Erie Behrend College Norfolk State University
Remove Remove +Add +Add

Overview

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
Location Erie, PA Norfolk, VA
Setting Rural Fringe Midsize City
Enrollment 3,295 5,783
Type Public 4 Year Public 4 Year
National Ranking #503 #1008
Religious Affiliation - - - -
Status Non-profit Non-profit
Website psu.edu nsu.edu
Team Colors                    

Costs

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
Tuition (In State) $15,388 $5,752
Tuition (Out of State) $25,854 $16,920
Room & Board $12,984 $10,844
Avg Net Price $21,968 $14,652
Avg Grant Aid $9,685 $12,164
% Receiving Grant Aid 71% 91%

Admission

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
Admission Chances Calculate Calculate
Applied 4,363 8,884
Admitted 4,164 7,951
Acceptance Rate 95.4% 89.5%
Enrolled % 19.9% 16.4%
Avg High School GPA 3.49 2.9
Typical High School Grades B+ B-
Admissions Standards Difficult Extremely Easy
Applicant Competition
ACT Range 22/30 15/20
SAT Range 1095/1330 840/1040
Submit Test Scores Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional) Not required for admission, but considered if submitted (Test Optional)
Application Deadline May 31, 2024

Academics

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
Student to Faculty Ratio 12:1 18:1
Popular Majors
  • Business (38%)
  • Engineering (14%)
  • Engineering Technology (9%)
  • Health Professions (6%)
  • Psychology (6%)
  • Health Professions (21%)
  • Business (16%)
  • Social Sciences (11%)
  • General Studies (10%)
  • Communication (7%)

Outcomes

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
Graduation Rate 66% 33%
Median Earnings (After 10 years) $55,300 $36,700
Making Student Loan Payments 69% 27%
Median Student Loan Debt $26,818 $31,000
Median Loan Payment $277 $320

Diversity

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
% Men 64% 33%
% Women 36% 67%
Racial Diversity Low Very Low
HBCU No Yes
% White 79% 5%
% Black 4% 84%
% Hispanic 2% 3%
% Native American 0% 0%
% Pacific Islander 0% 0%
% Two or More Races 2% 4%
% International 9% 0%
% Unknown Race 1% 3%

Students

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
% In-State 74% 65%
% Out-of-State 19% 31%

Campus

Penn State Erie-Behrend College NSU
Campus Housing Yes Yes
Freshman Dorm Required No No
Meal Plan Yes Yes
Weekend/Evening Classes No No
Daycare Facility Yes Yes
Learn More Details Details

Comparable Facts

  • Norfolk State University is larger than than Penn State Erie-Behrend College based on total student enrollment (5,783 students vs. 3,295 students)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. NSU Cost Comparison

Which college is more expensive, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or NSU?

  • Penn State Erie Behrend College is 167.5% more expensive to attend than NSU for in-state tuition ($15,388.00 vs. $5,752.00)
  • Out of state tuition is 52.8% higher at Penn State Erie-Behrend College than Norfolk State University ($25,854.00 vs. $16,920.00)
  • The typical actual cost that students pay to attend (average net price) is less at Norfolk State University than Penn State Erie-Behrend College ($14,652 vs. $21,968)
  • Living costs (room and board or off-campus housing budget) at Norfolk State University are 19.7% lower than costs at Penn State Erie Behrend College ($10,844 vs. $12,984)
  • More students receive financial grant aid at Norfolk State University than Penn State Erie Behrend College (91% vs. 71%)
  • The average total grant financial aid received by Norfolk State University students is 25.6% larger than aid received Penn State Erie Behrend College ($12,164 vs. $9,685)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. NSU Admissions Difficulty Comparison

Which college is harder to get into, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or NSU? Average SAT and ACT scores plus acceptance rates offer good insight into the difficulty of admission between NSU or Penn State Erie-Behrend College .

  • The average SAT score at Penn State Erie Behrend College (1054) is 246 points higher than at NSU (808)
  • Incoming Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 6 point higher average ACT score (23) than students at NSU (17)
  • Accepted freshman Penn State Erie-Behrend College students have a 0.59 point higher average high school GPA (3.49) than students at NSU (2.9)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College has a higher acceptance rate (95.4%) than NSU (89.5%)

Penn State Erie-Behrend College vs. NSU Graduation Outcomes Comparison

Which is better, Penn State Erie-Behrend College or NSU? Graduation rate, salary and amount of student loan debt are indicators of a college which offers better outcomes for its graduates. Compare the following outcomes facts between NSU and Penn State Erie-Behrend College.

  • The graduation rate at Penn State Erie-Behrend College is higher than Norfolk State University (66% vs. 33%)
  • Graduates from Penn State Erie Behrend College earn on average $18,600 more per year than NSU graduates after ten years. ($55,300 vs. $36,700)
  • Penn State Erie Behrend College students graduate with a $4,182 lower median federal student loan debt than NSU graduates. ($26,818 vs. $31,000)
  • Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are paying $43 less per month on federal student loans than NSU graduates. ($277 vs. $320)
  • More Penn State Erie-Behrend College graduates are actively paying back their federal student loan debt than former NSU students, three years after graduation. (69% vs. 27%)

Sources: U.S. Department of Education https://nces.ed.gov IPEDS and College Scorecard https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/